Mel Judah was born in Calcutta, India in 1947. He first learned how to play poker at the age of 14 by watching his father play five card draw. Later, Judah would become a hairdresser for Vidal Sassoon. He later left being a hairdresser to pursue professional poker.
Judah has many strong finishes at the WSOP and a couple of historic ones as well. Judah won his first WSOP bracelet in 1989 when he took the $1,500 Seven Card Stud Event. He would nearly capture his 2nd in 1990 when he finished runner-up in the $1,500 Limit Holdem Event. He would record his first WSOP Main Event cash that year, finishing 17th in the Main Event. Judah would have another runner-up finish in 1991 in the $1,500 Omaha 8 or Better event. Judah would also record Main Event cashes in 1992 and in 1995.
1997 was Judah’s best year in the WSOP. First he made the final table of the $1,500 Stud 8 Event where he finished 8th. Next, he won his 2nd gold bracelet by taking down the $5,000 Seven Card Stud Event.
For those of you that watch poker on TV, you probably remember Judah most from his final table appearance at the Main Event in 1997. This final table was famous for two reasons. First, it was the first, and thankfully only, final table to be played outdoors. Next, it featured Stu Ungar, who hadn’t come close to winning the Main Event since his 2nd title 16 years earlier. Judah was an unfortunate victim to history as the day was meant for Ungar. Judah finished in 3rd place and Ungar went on to claim his third WSOP Main Event title. It would sadly prove to be Ungar’s last title as Ungar died in 1998 after complications due to drug use.
After his 1997 finish, Judah has headlined several final tables at the WSOP and finish in the money in numerous events. He finished in the money in the 2000 Main Event and had another runner-up finish in the $5,000 Stud Event in 2003.
Judah also has had success on the World Poker Tour. To date, Judah has had only two cashes on the WPT, but he has made both of them count. Both cashes occurred within months of each other in 2003. First, Judah won the WPT Event at Legends of Poker after outlasting a final table that included T.J. Cloutier, Phil Laak, and Chip Jett. Later, Judah would go on to make the final table of the World Poker Classic where he would finish in 6th place. Judah has won $783,059 on the World Poker Tour to date.
For his career, Mel Judah has made over $3 Million in live tournaments. His conservative yet stellar play has earned him the nickname of “The Silver Fox.” Lately, Judah does not play as large of a schedule as in years past, but is always in the field for several major events and the World Series of Poker. Judah has also helped to create the World Poker Championship in Dublin, Ireland and helps run the event as its Tournament Director. Judah is well respect for his accomplishments at the poker table and with good reason. He has won Millions in his career and played with the greatest players of all-time. In the case of Mel Judah, his respect is well earned.